


CATching Her Heart

by Snugglebuttkitten



Series: AU August [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien is poor but content, Alya and Nino are Adrien's Friends, Angst, Boss/Employee Relationship, CEO!Marinette, Chloe is Marinette's best friend, Chloe is more of a mom to Emma than to Louis, Dadrien is the best dad ever, Emma is a mini Chloe to begin with..., Emma's Dad is Nathaniel, Fluff, Gabriel is poor and wants revenge, Gen, In case you were wondering, Louis' Mom is Chloe, Manny!Adrien, Marinette is a Fashion Tycoon, Mominette needs some work thou, Savage!Marinette, Single Parent AU, What even is canon???, coffee shop AU, what even are tags?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 05:53:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15657081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: Marinette Dupain-Cheng is the youngest fashion tycoon to take the world by storm. Ever since she put Gabriel Agreste out of business at the age of twenty-three,  the MDC brand has been at the top of the charts. Getting where she is today hasn't been easy, however, and the ruthlessness of the fashion industry has all but killed the sweet, naive schoolgirl she once was. The one bright spot in her otherwise bleak life is Emma Dupain-Cheng, her beloved daughter.Adrien Agreste once led a privileged life, the son and top model of fashion icon Gabriel Agreste. When his father was put out of business, they lost everything and Adrien had to struggle through college, often relying on financial aid and the generosity of his friends to get by. Now, at almost twenty-nine years old, Adrien is the owner of a small chain of Coffee Shops and Cat Cafes and is quite comfortable in the life he leads with his young son, Louis.When Marinette loses her nanny and finds herself desperate for a replacement, she hires a random barista on the spot, not even realizing who he is. Can these two dorks get their shit together before it's too late?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So... AU August. That's a thing. I have a few ideas, ones that will combine several of the prompts into multi-chaptered short stories. This one will cover Days 3 (Single Parent), 4 (Enemy), 20 (Coffee Shop), and 24 (Workplace/Office). None of these stories will be finished by the end of August and I don't know if every day will get covered but I will do my best xD

“ _ I QUIT! _ ”

 

Marinette Dupain-Cheng flinched at the words, looking up wide-eyed as the door of her corner office was slammed open to reveal her livid nanny, her frantic receptionist, and her red-faced six year old who looked on the verge of a tantrum. The day had started out ordinarily enough, with Marinette rushing out of her penthouse apartment for an early morning meeting, before overviewing a dress rehearsal for the fashion show that MDC Fashion House was hosting that weekend. The fashion show would showcase her newest line of high-end children’s fashion,  _ Calliope _ . The whole line was based off Greek Mythology, and would surely be a hit with the younger generation. Especially since her own daughter, Emma was set as the main model. With her rich, blue-black hair and stunning turquoise eyes the exact same shade of her father’s, Emma Dupain-Cheng was one of the top models in her age group. She was beautiful, graceful, and had a charming stage presence that captured the hearts of all who laid their eyes upon her. And right now, she looked about ready to blow a fuse.

“Pierre, I’m going to have to call you back,” Marinette said slowly, replacing the receiver before turning a wary blue gaze on the trio who had just burst into her office. It as her receptionist, Lillian, who spoke first, shoving past the older woman in the doorway and offering her boss a wide-eyed, apologetic look.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, I’m so sorry! I tried to stop her but she just wouldn’t listen!” Lillian explained, wringing her hands fretfully as she undoubtedly awaited her termination. It was true, Marinette had fired people for less. She hadn’t gotten to where she was in this business for being the sweet, naive girl she had been in school. The fashion world was ruthless and Marinette had learned long ago that if you wanted to make something of yourself, you had to be twice as ruthless and three times as savage. She was known for being a strict, unforgiving boss that put even Gabriel Agreste, her former rival, to shame. Luckily for Lillian, Marinette was a lot of things but stupid wasn’t one of them. She knew good, trustworthy help was hard to come by and despite only being in her early twenties, Lillian was a superb receptionist. One the ravenette was sure she could trust with more sensitive documents.

“That is quite alright, Lily. Why don’t you go take your lunch break while I deal with this?” Marinette suggested, cracking a rare smile at the timid girl. Lily’s eyes widened in shock but she nodded rapidly in agreement and left as quickly as she had come. The door closed behind her with a soft click, and Marinette turned to the new problem at hand.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng,” her nanny, an older woman by the name of Selene, began in an agitated tone. Marinette held up one hand, halting whatever she was about to say, and instead opened her arms to the child who had been otherwise ignored up until that point. The child moved immediately, throwing herself into her mother’s arms with a wail. Marinette stroked the child’s black curls soothingly and arched a brow at her nanny.

“What seems to be the problem, Selene?” She asked expectantly, in that no-nonsense way of hers.

“Miss Dupain-Cheng, your daughter is spoiled. She doesn’t take no for an answer, and when I try to stand my ground, she throws a tantrum,” Selena began, her voice sounding tight and controlled as if she were speaking through her teeth. Marinette raised an unimpressed brow.

“All children throw tantrums, Selene,” the younger woman responded blandly. “You are the adult; you ought to be able to manage a six-year-old child.”

“Most children don’t throw knives when they have tantrums,” she retorted impatiently. Marinette paused, eyes flickering towards her child briefly before moving back to her nanny.

“Did you leave a knife where she could  _ get _ to it?” She asked, purposefully deflecting the issue at hand. Selene, used to her employer's tactics, glared at her.

“That isn’t the point, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Your child could have seriously injured or even killed me,” she snapped, impatient.

“Because you left a sharp object where a six-year-old child could get to it. Seems like reckless endangerment to me,” the young mother countered obtusely.

“You are absolutely delusional. You and that she-demon of yours should be locked up!” Selene spat, eyes flashing with anger. Marinette rolled her eyes, certain the situation wasn’t nearly as bad as her nanny made it out to be.

“That is quite enough. You may go now, Selene. I’ll have your final paycheck mailed by the end of the week,” Marinette responded, her flippant tone only seeming to anger the disgruntled nanny further. The walls quaked with the force with which Selene slammed the door behind her, and then silence reigned over the office once more. Marinette sighed and leaned back in her chair, her free hand moving up to rub absently at the bridge of her nose. She really didn’t need this headache, but there wasn’t much she could do to change it now. Dropping the hand from her face, she groped blindly around her desk until she found the call button for her intercom. A moment after she hit the button, Lillian’s voice crackled over the intercom.

“Yes, Miss Dupain-Cheng?” Lillian asked, voice sounding slightly muffled as if she were still eating.

“Lillian, clear my appointments for the day, and compile a list of the best nannies in Paris who can start work short notice,” she ordered without preamble.

“Right away, Miss Dupain-Cheng,” came the muffled reply.

“Oh, and Lillian?” Marinette called out once more.

“Yes, Miss Dupain-Cheng?”

“Answer the intercom with your mouth full again and I really will fire you,” she threatened half-heartedly. There was an audible gulp as she swallowed her food.

“Of course, Miss Dupain-Cheng. My apologies,” was her squeaked response.

  
  


“Louis! Come on, bud, I’m gonna be late!” Adrien shouted up the stairs, sneakered foot tapping impatiently as he awaited his six-year-old son. The sound of shoes slapping against wood announced the child’s arrival, and moments later he flew around the bend in the stairs and stopped a few steps above his father with a lopsided grin. Adrien felt his heart melt immediately at the sight. It was impossible to stay mad at his son for any length of time when he smiled like that. Louis Agreste was a beautiful little boy, sporting his father’s mop of too-long, unruly blonde hair and his mother’s cerulean blue eyes. He was a lanky kid, more than a head taller than anyone else in his class, and was wearing an old Agreste Original tee-shirt and shorts over spiderman themed tennis shoes.

“Am I going to Miss Lacey’s?” Louis asked expectantly, sliding his hand into his father’s and hopping down the last few steps to the ground floor of their two-story townhouse.

“Afraid not, buddy. Miss Lacey isn’t feeling too well today, so you’re coming to work with your old man,” Adrien said, releasing his son’s hand in order to ruffle his hair playfully instead. The child giggled, ducking away from his father and dashing towards the front door.

“Last one to the car is a rotten egg!” He shrieked gleefully over his shoulder. Chuckling in amusement, Adrien followed his son at a much more sedate pace, scooping up the bag he had packed with his son’s lunch, toys, and some coloring books to keep him occupied. Being the owner of several coffee shops and cat cafes, including but not limited to,  _ Cool Beans Coffee House _ ,  _ Common Grounds _ , and  _ Paws and Spots Cat Cafe _ , Adrien usual spent his work week bouncing between venues and helping out where needed. Normally, this meant hanging out in his offices and doing paperwork on site, while offering help during the dreaded lunch rush, but he also covered shifts when his employees couldn’t make it. Today, he was covering a shift at  _ La Coccinelle _ , his newest Coffee Shop.  _ La Coccinelle  _ had only been open for a little over a month, and so far things were running fairly smoothly.

Plagg, the man who ran his main cat cafe  _ Paws and Spots _ , had suggested his wife Tikki for the position of Manager and Head Barista and so far, she seemed to be doing a fantastic job. The older woman was so upbeat and bubbly, her charisma and expert brewing skills already racking up a crowd of regulars in the small shop, and Adrien rarely had to step in to help out despite the locations newness. He was only stepping in today because Pollen, one of their newest hires, had a remake test to take in one of her classes and couldn't make it. Having been in college himself, and being a rather easy-going boss in general, Adrien had insisted she skip out on work and focus on acing her test. When finding a replacement for the day hadn’t worked, he had offered to take the shift himself, to keep things running as smooth as possible.

_ La Coccinelle _ was about a thirty minute car ride from the townhouse Adrien shared with his son and father, in the heart of the Parisian business district. It was actually fairly close to where Gabriel Fashion House used to stand before it had been torn down and rebuilt into the much bigger, much flashier MDC Fashion House. Looking down the street at the glass tower that sparkled in the early morning sunlight, he tried to remember if his father’s old fashion house had been quite so ostentatious. Probably not. If there was one thing he knew about the woman who had put his father out of business and sent him spiraling into depression, it was that she liked to rub things in. Before she had shown up to purchase the building, Adrien had met the woman only once before, when she was nineteen. She had been a timid thing, shoulders hunched and eyes wide over the edge of her portfolio as she awaited an interview with his father. He had bumped into her and his first impression had been that she was sweet. Far too sweet to make it in the fashion world. His father must have had the same impression because, despite the brilliance of her designs, he hadn’t hired her.

That was the last they had heard from Marinette Dupain-Cheng until an online shop sporting the name MDC Fashion took the world by storm and subsequently put Gabriel Fashion House on the back burner. The day she waltzed back into Gabriel Headquarters, she had been a totally different person. Back straight, shoulders squared, chin up; not a hair out of place, her clothing flawless. She had strode into the building like she already owned the place, stilettos tapping ominously against the marble floors, a pair of dark-rimmed sunglasses covering most of her facial features. Marinette Dupain-Cheng had waltzed into his father’s office and stated facts he couldn’t refute. Gabriel Fashion was going under. People were tired of his old designs. MDC Fashion was on the rise, and would only continue to do so as she put out more of her innovative designs. Then, she had made his father an offer he couldn’t refuse. By the end of the day, Gabriel Fashion was no more and Marinette Dupain-Cheng had won.

Shaking these thoughts from his head, Adrien opened the back door of his car and smiled as his son hopped out, sneakers slapping loudly against the pavement. The tiny hand of the six-year-old boy slid comfortingly into his own, larger hand, and the pair made their way up the sidewalk to the quaint little glass front coffee shop.  _ La Coccinelle _ was named after it’s interior design, a mix of bold red and cool black. The walls were steel gray, the floorboard painted a startling red. Like spots on a ladybug’s wings, black leather couches and armchairs dotted the sitting area to the left of the counter and display case. It wasn’t his only themed shop.  _ Paws and Spots _ was similarly themed, with Black Cats and Ladybugs in mind. The Cat Cafe was a more comically themed place, however, the decoration littered with ladybugs and pawprints, and green cat eyes.

Adrien smiled as they stepped inside, nodding briefly to the pair behind the counter. Preparing drinks, a lanky boy in his late teens with pale purple hair styled neatly atop his head and violet blue eyes that always seemed to dart around anxiously. At the register, a petite redhead with jet black bangs and wide blue eyes. The redhead spotted him first, and her face stretched into a broad, toothy grin as she waved at him. The blonde couldn’t help but chuckle affectionately. Plagg had been an old friend of his for years. The older man used to run an animal shelter, taking Adrien under his wing when he had shown up to get in some volunteer hours. It’s how Adrien found his love for cats. He had only met Tikki a little over a month ago, when he had interviewed her for the position, but she was impossible not to adore. She was so bright and bubbly.

“Aunt Tikki!” Louis called, bounding across the shop and skidding to a halt in front of the counter as the last customer collected his drink and headed off.

“Hello, Louis. And Monsieur Agreste, it’s always a pleasure,” Tikki said warmly.

“Please, Tiks, call me Adrien. Hello, Nooroo. How are you today?” Adrien addressed towards the lanky, purple haired teen. The boy jumped skittishly before flashing a sweet if painfully shy smile in the blonde's direction.

“I’m well, thank you, sir,” he responded quietly before returning to restocking cups. Adrien didn’t push him further. He was a shy kid, but he had proven himself a hard and dedicated worker. He turned back to Tikki who was now talking to Louis.

“-ought to be at Miss Lacey’s?” Tikki was asking when he tuned back into their conversation.

“Papa says Miss Lacey is sick,” the child responded solemnly, before brightening considerably. “But that means I get to hang out with you!”

“Yes, but we aren’t going to bother Aunt Tikki when she’s busy, are we Louie?” The boy’s father cut in, trying and failing to appear stern. The child grinned but nodded obediently.

“No, Papa.”

“Good boy. Why don’t you grab a table and color me a nice picture for my office while I go fill out some paperwork,” Adrien suggested, sliding the bag off his shoulder and handing it to the child. Louis nodded, taking the bag and scampering off to a table that sat directly in front of the counter. Adrien watched him for a moment longer, smiling when he pulled out his favorite superhero themed coloring book, before turning away. Tikki spoke up before he had a chance to even open his mouth.

“I’ll keep an eye on him, Adrien. Go get your work done,” she said warmly. Adrien smiled gratefully, relieved to have such amazing staff he could rely on.

“Thanks, Tiks. I’ll be on the floor for the lunch rush,” he promised, slipping behind the counter and through the doorway marked ‘employee only’.

  
  
  


It had been three weeks. Three weeks since Selene had quit; three weeks since she had started looking for a new nanny. And she. Had.  _ Nothing _ . It wasn’t Lillian’s fault either. If she had given her crappy candidates, Marinette could have dismissed her and her list of candidates and started anew. But Lillian had done just as Marinette had asked and gotten the best of the best in all of Paris. The problem lay with Emma. Marinette loved her little girl, but she was insanely busy and she didn’t seem to like  _ any _ of the nannies Marinette presented her with. There were a few who had made it past the preliminary interview and first meeting, but for one reason or another, they all quit after their first or second day. There had been one who had lasted a whopping four days, before she had fled as well, screeching about how Marinette didn’t need a nanny, she needed an exorcist. It was ridiculous. Emma was a six-year-old girl, and although she was often busy, when the mother was around she was nothing short of angelic. She was obedient, sweet, and content to play quietly in the corner of Marinette’s office while she worked. The twenty-nine-year-old couldn’t fathom what her daughter could possibly be doing to drive her nannies off so quickly.

Sighing, the young woman pulled up to the curb in front of  _ La Coccinelle _ Coffee House, where she would be conducting an interview with her last candidate. The woman was younger, which Marinette didn’t necessarily like, but as the saying went  _ beggars can’t be choosers. _ Turning off the car, Marinette slid her keys and phone into her purse and grabbed the binder containing the newest designs she had to sign off on for their new line. She slid from the car and moved to the curb, opening the door for her daughter. Emma hopped out, wearing a dress straight out of the new  _ Calliope _ line. It was a greek-style dress, a white top with a sweetheart neckline, a braided gold belt around her waist before the skirt flared slightly and deepened from white to gold along the bottom of the skirt. A gold headband sat atop her raven curls, and sparkly gold dress shoes adorned her feet.

The line had yet to be seen by the general public yet, but this particular dress was an exclusive made specifically for her daughter anyway. The main line would be available at the end of the month. Emma was silent as she fell into step behind her mother, arms folded petulantly as they entered the small coffee shop. Marinette couldn’t help but immediately be charmed by the interior. It was obviously a themed shop, and considering her logo had a ladybug silhouette around the ‘M’ in MDC, she felt it both fitting and lucky that she was meeting her final candidate here. Perhaps it was a sign. The line was mercifully short, and Marinette ordered herself a vanilla iced coffee, while getting Emma a hot chocolate and a chocolate filled croissant. 

The two found a table, and Marinette immediately began shifting through the binder, pen in hand and at the ready. Across from her, Emma nibbled quietly on her breakfast and sipped her hot chocolate, feet swinging boredly beneath the table.  It was an hour before the woman was due to show, so she figured she would get as much work done as possible. Fifteen minutes went by without incident, while the shop began filling up with the lunch rush. Emma sighed loudly across from her. Marinette ignored her, nibbling on the end of her pen as she scrutinized one design in particular. Ten more minutes passed and then-

“Mama, I’m  _ bored _ !” Emma complained loudly. Across from her, Marinette flinched at her sudden exclamation, glancing up from the design in front of her.

“It’s gonna be a little longer, Emmy,” she tried to sooth. Emma’s face pinched and reddened with annoyance.

“I don’t  _ want _ to wait any longer!”

“Emilia, please.  _ Maman _ has a lot of work to do. Would you like another croissant while you wait?” She asked, knowing bribery usually worked on her daughter.

“No! I wanna go to the zoo!” Emma responded plaintively.

“Emma-”

“I wanna go to the zoo! I wanna  _ goooo _ ,” the child’s voice climbed in volume and Marinette could  _ feel _ people beginning to stare. Her shoulders hunched, her old insecurities coming out as she felt the gathered strangers silently judging her.

“Emmy, I promise, when I find you a new nanny I’ll have her take you anywhere you need to go but right now I need you to-” She broke off as the child sucked in a breath and visibly braced herself for the oncoming tantrum… but it never came. Instead, another voice cut in, drawing two sets of eyes to the boy standing beside their table.

“Do you wanna come draw with me?” The boy, who looked to be no more than six, had a mop of blonde hair and startling blue eyes, his face stretched into a toothy grin. Emma blinked, before a similar smile stretched across her own face.

“Mama, can I go play with him? Can I? Can I? Puh- _ leeeaaase _ ?” The girl begged, turquoise eyes wide and imploring. Marinette suppressed a sigh of relief, tensed shoulders relaxing, and waved the children off.

“Of course, sweetheart. Go have fun,” she murmured, rubbing her head exhaustedly. Emma squealed and bounced out of her chair, following the unknown boy to a nearby table covering in coloring books and crayons, action figures and hotwheels cars. Relieved, Marinette turned back to her work.

  
  


It was two hours later that Marinette finally saw the potential nanny out the door. As much as she had tried to keep an open mind  the girl, Manon Chamack, just wasn’t what she was looking for. She was too young, too inexperienced. There was no way she would be able to properly care for Emma, which meant that once again Marinette was back to the drawing board. Dropping her head on top of her binder, the ravenette groaned low in her throat. She would have happily stayed like that forever, if someone didn’t clear their throat next her to. She lifted her head, only to find a hand sliding a fresh iced coffee across the table. She stared at the beverage in surprise before lifting her gaze, mouth already opening to speak.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t order-” the words died on her tongue as she met a pair of stunning green eyes, set in a chiseled face. The man couldn’t have been much older than her, late twenties to early thirties at most, with slightly-too long blonde hair and startling emerald eyes. His chin and upper lip were slightly scruffy, as if he hadn’t shaved in a few days, and he was wearing a black and red apron over a dark green tee-shirt and dark blue washed jeans. He was an attractive man, probably the most attractive she’d ever seen, and there was something vaguely familiar about him but she couldn’t place her finger on it.

“It’s on the house. You looked like you needed it after that interview,” he chuckled ruefully. She blinked, momentarily blinded by his wide grin and dimples. Who knew dimples on a grown man were so damn cute?

“O-oh, thank you,” she said lamely, blinking rapidly to reorient herself. Eyes flickering towards the front counter, she shot him a worried look. “You won’t get in trouble with your boss, will you?” 

“M-my boss?” The man seemed surprise, glancing over to where the petite redhead was laughing with a customer, before turning back to her with an amused grin. “No, I think I’ll be fine,” he chuckled. She nodded, satisfied, and took the offered coffee taking a long drag. She sighed in relief as the caffeine entered her system, and the man slid into the chair across from her. She arched a brow in surprise.

“Aren’t you supposed to be working?” She asked.

“I’m on break,” he supplied. She eyed him suspiciously but he had come over here bearing superbly brewed coffee so she let his presence slide. “If it makes you feel better, I wouldn’t have hired her either.”

“You have kids?” Marinette glanced up from her coffee, curious, and the man nodded and gestured to the table behind her where Emma and the little boy were chattering animatedly.

“Just the one, Louis,” he explained.

“I just have one as well. Emma,” she agreed, bluebell eyes flicking back to the man before her. He smiled.

“I’m pretty overprotective of Louie, so I understand why you wouldn’t want such a young and inexperienced girl watching your Emma. Being a parent can be tough,” he said, and Marinette couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t have many friends in general, and her closest friend rarely saw her son so she had never met the boy. It was nice talking to a fellow parent.

“Yeah, Emma can be pretty difficult with new people. Her father walked out when she was a baby. He came back into her life about two years ago and, stupidly, I let him. He won her over and then disappeared once again. She doesn’t trust many people,” she explained with a sad smile on her face. Adrien nodded in understanding.

“Louie’s mom walked out on us when he was about a year old. She’s never been very present, and Louie doesn’t seem to miss her when she disappears, thankfully,” he said, before pushing his chair back and standing up. For some reason, Marinette found herself rising as well. “Anyway, it was nice meeting you and if you’re ever in here again, feel free to say hi. I love a friendly face,” Adrien said. He turned away, calling to his son as he did so, and Marinette found herself doing something she hadn’t done since high school. She acted impulsively.

“Excuse me, sir?” She called. The blonde turned back, eyebrow raised and lips quirked up in a curious smile. “I feel like I should have introduced myself earlier. My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I know this is rather strange… but I’d like to hire you to be Emma’s new Nanny, and I’d be willing to triple whatever you’re getting paid here if you say yes.”


	2. Chapter 2

“You said  _ what!? _ ”

 

Adrien Agreste flinched at his best friends incredulous voice, holding the phone away from his ear. Running a hand over his face, he heaved a sigh before pressing the cellular device back to his ear. “I know, Nino. I  _ panicked _ . What was I supposed to say?” He whined, bottom lip jutting out as he attempted to play the naive rich boy card that he had played so many times back during his school years. Of course, some of those times he hadn’t actually been playing so much as he had been genuinely clueless as to how the world worked. Problem was, this was a call and not a video chat, and without the full effect of his puppy dog eyes, Nino was having none of Adrien’s shit.

“You definitely don’t say  _ yes _ !” His friend shouted, causing the blonde to flinch and shift the phone back once more.

“I know, Nino! I told you, I panicked, okay? She was just there, with those ridiculously big blue eyes of hers, and I didn’t recognize her at first. I was just trying to help out a fellow parent and suddenly she’s announcing her name in that imperious, I’m-better-than-you tone of hers and… I had a moment of weakness, man,” he groaned, dropping his head against the top of his desk.

It was evening, and after finishing up Pollen’s shift at  _ La Coccinelle _ in little more than a daze, Adrien had retreated to the safety and comfort of his home. There, he had prepared dinner for his son, got Louis bathed and in bed, and retired to his home office to look over his bank accounts. Unfortunately, with the events of the day, he had been woefully incapable of concentrating and now found himself seeking comfort in his best friend’s wisdom. Sadly, Nino seemed to have no words of wisdom to give tonight and seemed more intent on teasing the mourning blonde than anything else.

“D-dude, what is your dad gonna say when he finds out?” The man on the other line burst into a fresh fit of giggles, all at his best friend’s expense. Adrien grimaced.

“He’s going to flip! He hates MDC Fashion with a  _ passion _ . He tried to egg her building a few weeks ago,” Adrien pointed out, raking his fingers through his hair in agitation.

“Aw man, I forgot all about that! It was all over the news. Didn’t Dupain-Cheng give a statement about that incident?” Nino asked, the click of a keyboard signaling that he was looking up the incident on his laptop. Adrien nodded, despite knowing his friend couldn’t see him and booted up his own computer. Within moments, the line was silent save for the muted echo of the news report as the clip rolled on both ends of the line.

 

_ “-standing before the MDC Fashion House, where just moments before, former fashion icon Gabriel Agreste was arrested after trying to vandalize the building,” the news reporter, a darker skinned woman with pinkish red hair said into the mic. “This is Nadja Chamack, coming to you live from MDC Fashion House, where founder, owner, and CEO of MDC Fashion Marinette Dupain-Cheng, has just finished giving a statement to the police.” _

_ The camera shifted, showing a crowd of people standing before the fashion house’s glass front, held back only by a thin strip of yellow police tape. Broken eggs littered the gray sidewalk, none of them having come anywhere close to touching the windows of the actual building. The camera finally focused and zoomed in on the woman in question. Despite the fact that it was probably two in the morning, the woman looked impeccable. Her blue-black hair was pulled into a severe bun, and she wore a tan trench coat obscuring her outfit below. Despite the early hour and the darkness around her, a large pair of white-rimmed sunglasses obscured most of her facial features, perhaps hiding a lack of make-up or bags from the lack of sleep? Nadja Chamack jostled her way forcefully to the front of the crowd, mic extended, cameraman following obediently at her heels. _

_ “Miss Dupain-Cheng, a word!” Nadja called out, her sharp voice cutting above the clamor of the other reporters and the curious onlookers. The woman glanced her way and hesitated, seeming to debate whether to approach her or not, before finally moving towards her. She stopped several feet away, seeming reluctant to move any closer, but Nadja was undeterred. “Miss Dupain-Cheng, tell me. How will this attack on MDC Fashion affect business?” _

_ The younger woman lifted a hand, slowly sliding the sunglasses to the top of her head, only to reveal that her makeup was flawless and her bluebell eyes sharp despite the rude wake-up call she had faced an hour before. “Business will continue, as usual, Madame Chamack. This was nothing more than a crude example as to why MDC Fashion is at the top, while Gabriel Fashion has ceased to exist. Even his acts of petty revenge are unoriginal, just like his sad designs once were,” she responded evenly. _

_ “Miss Dupain-Cheng, isn’t it true that you once idolized former fashion icon, Gabriel Agreste? And isn’t it true that you applied to work for him and were subsequently turned down?” Nadja retorted, shoving the mic even closer. The darker haired woman stood her ground, seemingly unaffected by the stream of questions. _

_ “That is true, Madame Chamack. I once idolized Gabriel Agreste, much like the rest of France. To be honest, I was very young and naive. I thought Gabriel’s designs were innovative and original. I was devastated when he didn’t hire me,” she admitted. _

_ “But you didn’t stay down for long,” Nadja prompted, earning a faint smile from the young woman. The smile didn’t reach her eyes and disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. _

_ “No, Nadja, I didn’t. I opened up my own online shop and I worked tirelessly to make my brand known. Now, MDC Fashion is the most well-known fashion house in all of France.” _

_ “And to what do you owe your success, Miss Dupain-Cheng?” Nadja Chamack cut in, just as the ravenette was about to turn away. _

_ “I owe it all to Gabriel Agreste,” she said, looking directly into the camera now. There was a shit-eating smirk on her face, a malicious sort of glee that said she knew exactly what she was doing and had chosen to do it anyway. _

_ “How so?” Madame Chamack asked, intrigued. The woman turned her gaze away from the camera and back to the reporter. _

_ “Gabriel Agreste inspired me when I was a child, and he inspired me when he refused to hire me when I was nineteen. He said I was too soft for this business; that I would be walked all over and would never have the courage to defend myself or my designs. Gabriel Agreste inspired me to prove him wrong, and that’s exactly what I did.” She said firmly. Nadja Chamack opened her mouth, undoubtedly ready to fire off another line of questions, but stopped when the younger woman held up a hand. “No more questions. I was roused by this fiasco at one in the morning. I have a six-year-old to put back to bed. You understand, I’m sure,” she said with a saccharine smile. _

_ The woman turned away before the reporter could protest, the camera following her movements as she moved to where her driver waited beside her open car door. Beside the driver, the pajamaed six-year-old held her arms out expectantly, eyes heavy with sleep, and was immediately scooped up and bundled into the car before they drove off. _

 

Adrien turned off the screen as silence reigned over both sides of the phone. He knew for a fact that his father had watched the clip numerous times. Gabriel Agreste had always been a proud man. He had run his business like a tightly oiled machine. Unfortunately, the world of fashion was a fickle thing. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was younger, and loathe as the younger Agreste was to admit it, she was brilliant at what she did. Unlike his father, she didn’t limit herself to making clothing for the high and mighty. Her designs were accessible, most of them affordable, and catered to men, women, and children alike. She was creative enough that she didn’t limit herself to one particular style, and despite her wealth and the massive design team she now had working for her, she still put in the time to make her own unique designs.

When Gabriel Fashion had gone out of business, Gabriel Agreste had spiraled. Although placing blame on himself was silly, there was a part of Adrien that couldn’t help but feel guilty. In those first few years, he had been busy with college and his relationship with Chloe, which had never been very strong, to begin with. While his father’s world had crumbled, Adrien had had his friends to rely on throughout the tough times and there were many times he had blown off what he now realized were his father’s subtle cries for help. He hadn’t been there for his father during that time, and Gabriel had eventually turned to alcohol to drown out his pain. He had sobered up, for a spell, when Chloe had been pregnant and then when Louis was born.

That first year had given Adrien hope, but then Chloe had left and Adrien had been forced to make Louis his number one priority and Gabriel, left to his own devices, had spiraled once more. It was a constant battle now. There were months when his father would stop drinking altogether, where he would attend AA meetings and work in one of Adrien’s shops, and Adrien would slowly allow himself to hope that things would get better… and then he would spiral out again. He would do something stupid, like try to vandalize MDC Fashion House, and Adrien would have to bail him out of jail and place a call to Miss Dupain-Cheng and plead with her not to press charges. She would always agree, after a lot of pleading on his part, and a time or two had jokingly asked him out to dinner. Or at least, he thought she was joking. She never seemed offended when he turned down meeting her in person, simply laughing it off and bidding him a farewell. It was a wonder, despite how much time had passed, that he didn’t at least recognize her by her voice. Perhaps it was the way she had presented herself, as a harried mother as opposed to the cocky CEO who held all the right cards that he was used to dealing with.

“So…” Nino’s voice broke through his thoughts, drawing Adrien back to the present. “She has pretty eyes?”

  
  


Marinette sighed as she fixed her lucky earrings into her ears, meeting her daughter’s gaze in the bathroom mirror. It was Monday morning, the day her new Manny was scheduled to start work, and she was already running later than she would have liked. Her long hair was down, loosely curled at the ends, and held back by a rose-colored headband that matched rose and white tennis dress she was wearing. She was supposed to be meeting with a few executives from fellow fashion houses around the area at  _ Le Grand Paris _ Country Club. Chloe Bourgeois, the new owner of  _ Le Grand Paris _ Hotel, had recently expanded her business by building the country club just outside of the city limits. The club catered only to the most elite, and it was usually where Marinette liked to meet and schmooze her most favored clients.

“Emma, darling, mommy can’t stay home today. I need you to go get dressed now, please,” she said, waving her off as she dug through her makeup back and found her eyeliner and mascara. Emma, standing in the doorway in her pink and white Hello Kitty pajamas, huffed and stomped her bunny-slippered foot in annoyance.

“I don’t wanna! Why can’t you stay home today?” She groused, turquoise eyes narrowing as they met her mother’s darker blue gaze.

“Because mommy has a lot of work to do, Emma. Tell you what, if you be a good girl and go get dressed before your new nanny gets here, I’ll buy you a new toy. Anything you want,” she offered, carefully creating a smoky look around her eyes that would make the color pop.

“I want a pony,” Emma said immediately, hope filling her eyes. Despite herself, Marinette snorted and nearly poked herself in the eye with the makeup brush. Setting it down, she turned and gave her daughter an amused look.

“Nice try, kid. No ponies in the penthouse. And before you ask, you’re not getting a pig, monkey, dog, cat, or anything else that smells, sheds, or will otherwise create some sort of mess,” she added when the little girl opened her mouth. Scowling, Emma stalked off and a moment later, the door to her bedroom slammed shut. Shaking her head, Marinette returned to applying her makeup, completing the look with a bold red lipstick before packing her makeup away just as the doorbell rang.

“Mommy! The new nanny is here!” Emma shrieked from the direction of the living room. Sighing in relief, Marinette left the bathroom and her bedroom and headed down the stairs towards the living room. Emma, still in her pajamas, was sitting on the couch with the television tuned to some children’s show. Normally, she hated when Emma watched television but today she didn’t want to deal with that battle so she let it slide and went instead to open the door. The door opened to reveal her new nanny, Adrien, standing before her with a nervous smile on his face. Beside him, the little blonde boy from the coffee shop.

“Oh good, you’re here. You found the place alright?” She asked expectantly, turning abruptly and heading for the kitchen. Behind her, she could hear the man and his son step inside, shutting the door behind him.

“Uh, yeah, I found it just fine, thanks.” The man responded. 

“Hi, Emma!” The boy was a lot less awkward than his father, kicking off his tennis shoes and jumping onto the couch beside the little girl. Adrien watched the boy fondly before taking his own shoes off and placing both his and his son’s neatly on the shoe rack near the door. He stepped further into the apartment and took a moment to look around. The main area had an open layout, with light colored wood floors and white walls. One wall was dominated by floor to ceiling windows and french-styled balcony doors that led out into what looked like a mini garden oasis. Naturally, they had an uninterrupted view of the Eiffel Tower. The living area was made up of a white sectional, a red and black quilt thrown over the back, with matching pillows dotting the pale cushions. A stone fireplace sat in the wall before the couch with a large flat screen perched on the wall above it. A glass-topped coffee table sat between the couch and the television.

The kitchen was a bit further back from the living area, sectioned off by a granite-topped island that doubles as a bar area. The cabinetry was slightly darker than the floors, the countertops black granite, and the appliances were all brand new stainless steel and looked like they had barely been used. A little area sat to the left of the kitchen with a glass top table and chairs. Adrien followed the woman across the room and hovered near the kitchen entrance as she worked a complicated looking coffee maker. When the coffee started brewing, she finally turned back to face him with a strained smile.

“Okay, I don’t really have time to get into the paperwork right now to officially hire you but we can do that tonight when I get home. I should be home by nine tonight, There’s food in the fridge and pantry, and Emma knows where everything is. The knives are on top of the fridge. Do  _ not _ let Emma get ahold of them. The bedrooms are upstairs. Emma will show you where hers is. She takes a nap at one, and if you need to put your son down for a nap, there's an extra bunk in there,” she rattled off her instructions until the coffee maker beeped and she moved away from the counter between them to pull cream from the fridge.

“Does she have any allergies?” Adrien asked, still not entirely sure why he was playing along with this. He had come with the intention of telling her the truth. Who he was, that he was the owner and not an employee of the coffee shop and that he had no intention of being her nanny. He couldn’t fathom why the words wouldn’t come now that he was actually here.

“Yes. Emma is allergic to nuts, strawberries, and fish. We don’t really keep any of those things in the house, so you should be fine. I try to feed her healthy foods. No processed, premade frozen or canned foods; no fast food; not a lot of junk food. She’s on a pretty strict meal plan because she’s a model, and I try to keep things gluten-free when possible but kids will be kids and the occasional deviation is okay,” she finished stirring the cream and sugar into her coffee before digging under the counter and producing a thick binder.

“If you don’t know what to cook, here are some pretty safe recipes that Emma has approved of. She can be kind of picky but then again, so are most kids. She just has some… refined tastes. You and Louis are welcome to anything in the fridge or pantry as well. There is absolutely no eating or drinking in the living room or the bedrooms and I prefer that Emma doesn’t watch television or play video games all day. We have a season pass to the zoo and the aquarium and she loves the park. She can show you where we keep her booster seat and money for any outings you might want to go on. My number is on the fridge, as well as my direct office line and my receptionist. I also put the number for the country club down, and Emma’s Pediatrician. Any questions?” Marinette finally halted the stream of words that had spewed forth from her mouth and raised an eyebrow at the man across from her.“Um, no ma’am, I think you about covered it,” Adrien said, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck with an uneasy grin. Marinette gave a decisive nod and scooped her coffee and purse off the table.

“Excellent. Then if you need anything, you know how to reach me. I’m already terribly late as is,” she said, sweeping past him and heading for the door. “Bye, Emma. Be good,” she called as she slipped her shoes on. Emma grunted a distracted farewell, too busy staring at the television to care about her mother’s departure. The door opened and closed behind the woman, and then Adrien found himself alone with his son and Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s daughter.

**Author's Note:**

> As usual, comment, comment, comment. Your feedback gives me life!


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